Biography & Memoir Audiobooks

Jane Austen's Bookshelf: The Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend

"It all started with a book that made me curious. When rare books dealer Rebecca Romney found an emerald clothbound edition of Evelina by Frances Burney, she was happy to discover that she'd stumbled across a novel by one of Jane Austen's favourite authors. Inspired by the connection between the two writers, she returned to Austen's books with a new lens, picking out clues sprinkled throughout her works that pointed to the writers she had admired. Austen read William Shakespeare, John Milton, Daniel Defoe, and Samuel Richardson, all authors Rebecca had read. But Austen also read Frances Burney, Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Lennox, Hannah More, Charlotte Smith, Elizabeth Inchbald, Hester Piozzi, and Maria Edgeworth, all authors Romney hadn't. These female writers all sat proudly on Austen's bookshelf, but have disappeared from ours. Romney became fascinated with these writers and wanted to answer three important questions: What were the stories behind the lives of these women? Why have they disappeared from our bookshelves? Who wrote them out of history? She had a mission, an obligation: she needed to collect Jane Austen's bookshelf. 'Everything a reader could desire: wit, passion, mystery, brilliant detective work, a love of rare books, a deep dive into literary history and, best of all, the restoration of reputation for a group of great women authors whose names should never have been forgotten' Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love"

Rebecca Romney (Author), Julia Winwood (Narrator)

Audiobook

Next of Kin: What to expect when you're expecting to care for someone you love

"A compassionate guide to navigating the complex, emotional and challenging world of care When someone you love becomes seriously ill, disabled, or starts to decline with age, knowing what to do can feel overwhelming. Next of Kin is a heartfelt and practical guide to navigating the complicated world of care. Written by journalist and health communicator Casey Beros, this book offers clear, empathetic advice for tackling the medical, legal, physical and emotional challenges of caring for someone close to you. When it can be hard to see a clear way forward, Beros delivers what every carer needs: guidance, reassurance, and real-life tools. She shares everything she learned on her journey as her father's carer, as well as insights from other patients and carers she met along the way and learnings from over two decades of interviewing medical professionals. Beros unpacks advice from world-leading experts in care, loss and grief, reflecting on the best way forward in one of the most challenging times any of us will ever face. Next of Kin shines a bright light into a dark experience and gives readers a hand to hold along the way. Inside, you'll find: Tools to navigate the medical system and advocate on behalf of yourself or someone you care for Techniques for talking about uncomfortable topics, like illness, death and loss, with children and adults Advice to navigate loss, grief and the transformation of relationships affected by illness and death Strategies for much-needed self-care when you're devoted to caring for someone else Key legal considerations, including important details about wills, powers of attorney, guardianship and what it means to be the executor of an estate Whether you're currently caring for someone, or you are expecting to in the future, Next of Kin is the practical, compassionate resource you need. This essential guide will show you how to move forward with kindness and strength – for others and yourself – and will inspire you to step up to the plate when someone you love needs you."

Casey Beros (Author), Casey Beros (Narrator)

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When No One Else Believed: One Man's Perseverance • The Story of Patsy's Miracle

"'When No One Else Believed' is a true story of the enduring love of a husband for his wife. He is a flawed, vulnerable man with a life-long disability. She, the love of his life, is stricken with a catastrophic illness with no chance of recovery. He alone … with God's grace must navigate through a broken marriage, a wife on life support, extreme temptation, and financial ruin, with no one believing what God had revealed to him. Only God's promise gave him the unparalleled faith to persevere when all odds were against him, sending him on a roller coaster ride between hope and despair, reality and insanity … where seeing is not always believing."

Ron Tripodo (Author), Ron Tripodo (Narrator)

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Jane Austen: The Original Romance Novelist

"Take a trip back in time to the Regency-era life of Jane Austen, one of literature's most beloved novelists, with this captivating exploration of her works and the timeless themes of romance, family, and society. Pocket Portraits: Jane Austen takes you through the moments of Jane Austen's life—some well-known and some which may be unexpected. These are the moments that shaped her six published novels, which draw deeply on themes of family, agency, philosophy, and love. From excerpts of her swoon-worthy tales like Pride and Prejudice and Emma to insight into Austen's social commentary and why her works still leave their mark on contemporary pop culture, this book paints a vivid portrait of the complicated woman behind the quill. This beautifully curated book is both an inspiring biography and a celebration of literary brilliance. Whether you're a longtime admirer of Austen or just beginning your literary adventure, Pocket Portraits: Jane Austen will leave you fascinated, inspired, and longing for more."

Janet Lewis Saidi (Author), Deanna Anthony (Narrator)

Audiobook

Speaking My Mind

"Brought to you by Penguin. Leo Varadkar shares his fascinating experience as Irish prime minister at a time of much change and turbulence, in this remarkably honest memoir. Leo Varadkar was an unlikely Taoiseach – the youngest on taking office in 2017, the first Taoiseach to be gay, and the first person of colour to be Taoiseach. Equally unlikely was his decision to bow out of politics in his mid-forties. Now, liberated from the constraints of office, he tells his fascinating story with characteristic courage and candour, and provides a unique insight into the formation and evolution of a senior politician. In Speaking My Mind Leo Varadkar shares his pride in helping to bring about transformational changes, such as marriage equality. He describes experiences that only a prime minister could have – speaking frankly to Pope Francis on the legacy of church abuses, connecting with Barack Obama about both being the ‘tall, dark guy with the funny name’, navigating challenges such as the pandemic and the fallout from Brexit. And he writes honestly about the costs that go with the immense privilege of holding high office. Speaking My Mind is a revealing, intimate and important memoir from a singular public figure. © Leo Varadkar 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Leo Varadkar (Author), Leo Varadkar (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival, Christopher

"Brought to you by Penguin. Poor boy. Dark star. Spy. Transgressor. Genius. From one of the greatest writers on the Elizabethan era, Dark Renaissance is the thrilling and subversive life story of Christopher Marlowe – Shakespeare’s inspiration and rival, who helped to bring England out of the cultural darkness and into the light. In brutally repressive Elizabethan England, artists are frightened; foreigners are suspect; popular entertainment largely consists of coarse spectacles, animal fights, and hangings. Into this crude world comes an ambitious cobbler’s son from Canterbury with an uncanny ear for Latin poetry – which to him is a secret portal to beauty, visionary imagination, transgressive desire, and dangerous scepticism. What Christopher Marlowe finds on the other side of that door, and what he does with it, brings about a spectacular explosion of English literature, language, and culture, enabling the success of many others, including his youthful collaborator William Shakespeare. By the time of his murder in a Deptford tavern in 1593, the 29-year-old Marlowe will be the most celebrated dramatist of his time. Stephen Greenblatt grippingly reconstructs the involvement with the queen’s spy service that shaped Marlowe’s brief, troubling life and gave us his masterpieces about power and its costs. And he explores how the people Marlowe knew, and the transformations they wrought, gave birth to the economic, scientific, and cultural power of the modern world – involving Faustian bargains with which we reckon still. Dark Renaissance is a scintillating combination of narrative flair, historical insight and literary criticism about a writer whose blazing talent catapulted England from cultural backwater to crucible of creativity. ’A rigorous and sparkling exploration of what makes an artist …. Essential and addictive reading’ MAGGIE O'FARRELL © Stephen Greenblatt 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Stephen Greenblatt (Author), Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

Audiobook

Full Circle: A personal story of reconnection to te ao Māori

"I stumble across a photo of me, aged ten. My immediate thought is: 'Who is that girl?' I remember her but I don't recognise myself in her. She was so determined. Once she knew what she wanted, she'd just head straight for it. From a childhood in rural Piopio, Jenny-May Coffin grew up to achieve international success as a Silver Fern and then began a stellar career on radio and television as a sports commentator and morning presenter. But outward success can often mask inner uncertainty, and Jenny-May lost her grip on the confidence her ten-year-old self possessed. The ups and downs of a full life, with tragedies as well as triumphs, left her in need of renewal. Here is the story of how she found self-confidence again, reclaiming strength and identity through her connections to te ao Māori, with the support of her husband, Dean Clarkson, and her close ties to her parents and siblings."

Jenny-May Clarkson (Author), Jenny-May Clarkson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Unwed & Unbothered: The Defiant Lives of Single Women Throughout History

"No partner? No problem! From economic independence to personal passions and everything in between, this guide profiles women who have had different reasons why they have chosen to remain single all throughout history that have nothing to do with the tragic trope of "spinsters." What do novelist Jane Austen, suffragist Susan B. Anthony, and Hollywood icon Greta Garbo have in common? They all subverted societal expectations and carved unique paths in history by remaining single and childless. There are many reasons why a woman might choose to remain single, from challenging gender norms, to financial independence, to the dislike of marriage as an institution. Author Emma Duval categorizes iconic and overlooked single women in history based on their motivations for singledom, celebrating their choice in a world that maligned the very notion. With captivating profiles of these inspiring women, Duval memorializes her heroes in this accessible and iconic guide. "

Emma Duval (Author), Mara Wilson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Carnie King: The Story of Patty Conklin and Conklin Shows

"Enter the realm of the carnie king, Patty Conklin, the flamboyant founder of what would become the world's largest carnival company. Patty started on the mean streets of New York selling peanuts before becoming a a small-time operator. Winning the midway contract for the Canadian National Exhibition in 1937, he made it his personal world's fair. It became the foundation for his son and grandson to expand Conklin Shows until they were playing the biggest fairs and exhibitions throughout North America. Carnie King begins with the birth of Joseph Renker to German immigrant parents, tells of his personal transformation into Patty Conklin, and follows his incredible life through to his death in 1970. It covers his company's history after Jim Conklin took over, expanded it beyond recognition, then handed it on to his own son. Not only a history of Conklin Shows, Carnie King explores how midways work and their commercial and popular presence in North America. The story it tells is based on dozens of interviews with carnies and access to the Conklin archives. It includes anecdotes about a range of characters and insights about life on the midway. Carnie King is at once a revealing look at a unique part of twentieth-century culture and a vivid account of three generations of showmen and their dominance of midways across the continent."

John Thurston (Author), Michael Butler Murray (Narrator)

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Catland: Louis Wain and the Great Cat Mania

"In 1900, Britain and America were in the grip of a cat craze. An animal that had for centuries been seen as a household servant or urban nuisance had now become an object of pride and deep affection. From presidential and royal families who imported exotic breeds to working-class men competing for cash prizes for the fattest tabby, people became enthralled to the once-humble cat. Cats themselves were now traded for increasingly large sums of money, bolstered by elaborate pedigrees that claimed noble ancestry and promised aesthetic distinction. In Catland, Kathryn Hughes chronicles the cat craze of the early twentieth century through the life and career of Louis Wain. Wain's anthropomorphic drawings of cats in top hats falling in love, sipping champagne, golfing, driving cars, and piloting planes are some of the most instantly recognizable images from the era. Despite being a household name, Wain endured multiple bankruptcies and mental breakdowns, spending his last fifteen years in an asylum, drawing abstract and multicolored felines. But it was his ubiquitous anthropomorphic cats that helped usher the formerly reviled creatures into homes across Europe. Based on new archival findings about Wain's life, the wider cat fancy, and the media frenzy it created, Catland chronicles the fascinating history of how the modern cat emerged."

Kathryn Hughes (Author), Jenn Lee (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Fall of Egypt and the Rise of Rome: A History of the Ptolemies

"A compelling history of the Ptolemies, the decline of Egypt, and the rising power of the Roman Empire The Ptolemaic era, Egypt's last and one of its longest dynasties, was in many ways a gilded age. Its early rulers restored and even expanded Egyptian power. Over a span of 300 years the period was witness to intellectual enlightenment, imaginative state-building, and some of the most memorable characters in ancient history, including Alexander the Great and Cleopatra VII. But these Macedonian Greek pharaohs embarked on ruinous warfare, faced rebellion, and descended into murderous family feuds. Increasingly reliant on the dizzying rise of Roman power, Ptolemaic Egypt was finally annexed by Augustus in 30 BCE. How did such an ancient civilization come to this? Exploring the lives of the Ptolemaic pharaohs, de la Bédoyère reveals the jealousy, greed, and murderous ambition in their Egypt and the legendary city of Alexandria, their capital. This is a lively, accessible account of Ancient Egypt’s last days—and of the new power rising in its place."

Guy de la Bedoyere (Author), Richard Trinder (Narrator)

Audiobook

Silence and Resistance: Memoir of a Girlhood in Haiti

"On January 12, 2010, a powerful earthquake shook Haiti, killing and injuring thousands. In a few seconds, the author's identity was torn apart with all the landmarks of her life shattered, sending her into a transformative journey of self-discovery. 'Silence and Resistance' recounts the author's upbringing under state-sponsored terror, domestic violence, forced silence, the bewilderment of loss, and generational secrets. It is also a haunting narrative of the author's profound journey to uncover and reckon with the buried secrets of her family's past. Set against the rich backdrop and singular history of Haiti, this poignant tale explores the complexities of love, trauma, and identity through the lens of a father's dark legacy. When she discovered that her father committed an unspeakable act, the revelation shattered Monique's understanding of family. Forced to confront the silence that has long shielded the truth, she must navigate the emotional turmoil of betrayal and the weight of inherited pain. She must, too, reconcile her love for a man who was both a nurturing parent and a perpetrator of violence. Through vivid and expert storytelling and intimate reflections, 'Silence and Resistance' delves into the psychological scars left by familial secrets and the struggle for personal redemption. It is a powerful exploration of the necessity to confront uncomfortable truths, break the chains of silence, and ultimately find healing with one's own voice and destiny in the embrace of honesty."

Monique Clesca (Author), Marie-Françoise Theodore (Narrator)

Audiobook